What: Comedy staged by Community Theatre of LindenWhen: 7 p.m. today, Saturday, June 15 and June 16, 2 p.m. Sunday and June 17Where: Linden High Performing Arts Center,...

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"Social Security"

What: Comedy staged by Community Theatre of Linden

When: 7 p.m. today, Saturday, June 15 and June 16, 2 p.m. Sunday and June 17

Where: Linden High Performing Arts Center, 18527 E. Front St., Linden

Admission: $20, $15 students and seniors; season tickets for three shows available for $50

Information: (209) 401-8549

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He's not Jewish, not old and never lived in New York City.

Hugo Martinez understands theater, though, and is counting on that experience to make "Social Security" a funny, entertaining production when it opens today at Linden High School Performing Arts Center.

Though unfamiliar with the show, the 2005 Edison High graduate found Andrew Bergman's script about what happens when an 80-year-old Jewish mother is dumped in the household of her snooty art-dealer daughter and son-in-law, to be laugh-out-loud funny.

The physical, situational comedy made him think "I Love Lucy" and he decided more is better.

"We've boosted the antics," Martinez said. "I said, 'Let's make them as over-the-top as possible. Let's do farce, take the audience on a roller coaster all night.' "

To pull off the high-energy show that kicks off the Community Theatre of Linden's second season, the 24-year-old Martinez cast mostly 20-somethings.

"I love it. I've always played characters," said Garland, who was in Stockton Civic Theatre's "Dearly Beloved" earlier this year.

"I played an 80-year old grandmother before, in Bakersfield, in 'I Remember Mama.' She was Norwegian, and I played the French stewardess in 'Boeing, Boeing.' Characters different from myself are a joy for me."

An "army brat" who lived in Virginia, California and other spots, Garland's one constant was theater. In high school and college in Bakersfield, she performed regularly, and continued during a three-year stay in Salem, Ore.

When the single mother of four moved to Stockton - to get away from the rain and pursue a career in real estate - a few years ago, she put theater aside to focus on work and her twin daughters, now 19.

Taking on Sophie is a welcome challenge in her return to the boards, another life experience, as she describes it.

"She's hysterical," Garland said. "It's very interesting the way she goes about trying to get attention."

Although 35 years younger than Sophie, Garland has found at least one connection.

"I think the only part of it is wanting to still live it up," Garland said. "Age is just a number. She has a zest for life."

Sophie's life is revved up by the arrival of 98-year-old artist Maurice Koenig, who finds her very attractive.

Martinez turned that role over to the youngest member of his cast, 21-year-old Christopher "C.J." Martin.

"Since the comedy is over the top, it can be more making fun of this old man as opposed to becoming him," Martin said. "Sometimes the farther away from it, the easier it is to reach that mindset."

For the celebrated Jewish artist, he's developed a hunched-over walk and worked on facial ticks.

"Obviously it's an enormous stretch," Martin said. "Once I read through the script I thought I could do it. I watched 'Coming to America' and saw Eddie Murphy doing this old Jewish man character and tried to mimic that."

Always a lead in high school, Martin said playing a supporting role, as well as performing comedy, are new to him.

What he's learning, he said, "is how to upstage."

That's a skill Martinez is familiar with. He always played the sidekick, preferring to make the most of those scene-stealing roles rather than leads.

He's in charge now, though, adding to a directorial résumé that include shows in Tracy.

"I love being able to create a vision and see that vision come to life on stage," said Martinez, who earned a degree at Los Angeles Film School and worked in film and television there before returning to his hometown two years ago to start his own theater company. "I get that same feeling I get when I create a character. It's on a smaller scale when you're an actor. That's one character. When you're envisioning the entire ensemble, the set, the costumes, who the characters are, what the play's about, when the bigger scale comes together, it's gratifying. It's such a rush."

He's confident in his casting. In addition to Garland and Martin, he has Matt Saculla and theater newcomer Laura Seimas as art dealers David and Barbara Kahn, and Nicole Pendley and Jeremy Stegman as Trudy and Martin, Barbara's sister and brother-in-law, who had been caring for Sophie but needed to drop her off to deal with their own family crisis.

"I couldn't have picked a better cast," Martinez said. "Seeing them together for the first time, in costume, for the full run of the show, they're so funny. My vision came to life."